Overview of “What If. ..?”Season 3 Insights
- Director Bryan Andrews expresses regret over not featuring iconic X-Men like Storm and Wolverine.
- Miscommunication regarding rights to these characters hindered potential storylines.
- Licensing issues involving Marvel, Disney, Sony, and Fox limited the inclusion of characters.
With the release of What If. ..? Season 3 on Disney+, viewers are captivated by an array of creative narratives. Yet, in the vast universe of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), countless stories remain unexplored. Director Bryan Andrews recently shared his thoughts on characters he wished had received more attention in this concluding season.
The series presents intriguing plot suggestions, such as “What if…Okoye took the heart-shaped herb?” , “What if…Pietro survived Ultron?” , and “What if…Khonshu chose Peter Parker?” Notably, the latter storyline provides a fascinating opportunity to introduce Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm, to the MCU. Up until now, Wolverine’s appearance in the upcoming *Deadpool* film marks the only other mutant integration. However, Andrews hinted that more mutants could have been included, had he been aware of the licensing rights at the time.
Exploring a Broader Mutant Universe in What If. ..? Season 3
In a conversation with Agents of Fandom, Andrews discussed his vision for Season 3. He lamented that had he understood Marvel’s regained rights to the X-Men, he would have integrated these characters creatively into the series. Instead, he operated under the impression that Sony held exclusive rights to this segment of the Marvel universe.
Reflecting on the creative process, Andrews stated, “In hindsight, I think we were kicking ourselves because, you know, it takes a while to set these things up and do these things. But it’s like we could have done more mutants this season, oh my gosh what the heck. But because at the time we didn’t know that they (Disney) were going to have all the Fox stuff back, you know what I mean? So we could have had a Hugh Jackman thing and you know, but oh well. Maybe, maybe there’ll be more (What If…?) in the future and then we get to party with those guys. But at least we got Storm, that’s awesome.”
Indeed, comic book licensing remains a convoluted issue involving various entities, including Marvel, Disney, Sony, and Fox. It is curious that Andrews did not verify with Marvel’s legal team regarding character rights, especially since the inclusion of Storm might have indicated changes within the licensing landscape. Such omission raises questions about the collaboration and communication among creative and legal teams.
Ultimately, while the inclusion of beloved characters like the X-Men could have enriched Season 3, their absence does not necessarily detract from the quality of storytelling. Andrews acknowledges that efforts should have been made to explore the potential for mutant characters earlier in the development process. It is worth noting that the show was planned before the anticipated releases of *Deadpool* and *Wolverine*, suggesting internal awareness could have preemptively guided creative decisions.
What If. ..? Season 3 made its debut on Disney+ on December 22, 2024, offering fans new narratives while leaving them to wonder about what could have been.
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